Polymerization of olefinic-containing monomers employing anionic initiators

ABSTRACT

Process for anionically polymerizing a conjugated 1,3-diene monomer consists of contacting the monomer in an inert hydrocarbon solvent with a monofunctional silyl ether initiator of general formula R1R2R3Si-O-A-Li where R1 to R3 are independently selected from monovalent organic substituent groups and A is a short chain hydrocarbon bridging group, to yield a polydiene having a molecular weight of typically 1,000-10,000, a high 1.4 content of typically 90% and a low polydispensity of typically 1.15. The reactive ends of the living polymer chains may be terminated with a reactive group such as hydroxyl by treating the polymer with ethylene oxide. Subsequent removal of the polymer&#39;s relatively unreactive silyl end groups by reaction with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride produces a difunctional, chain-extendable, hydroxy-terminated polydiene useful as a rubbery binder prepolymer.



